


Uncomplicated

by yeaka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 01:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20958110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Ignis rejects his gym bunny.





	Uncomplicated

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Karaiel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karaiel/gifts).

> A/N: Fill for Karaiel’s “Any with preconceptions of Gladio being a stupid masculine musclehead but finding out he's into literacy, flowers maybe, is soft/sensitive, etc” request on [my Dreamwidth](https://yeaka.dreamwidth.org/1190.html).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy XV or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Flustered and upset, Ignis finally leaves the house. He can’t hide himself away because of one conversation. But he’s glad it’s Sunday. It’s the one day of the week that he has off, and he has no reason to visit either the Citadel or Noctis. He can do something else, go anywhere he wants to, anywhere Gladiolus would never be.

The first thing that comes to mind is the library. That has to be a safe place to visit, and Ignis does like to visit there, though he rarely gets to anymore with how hard he works and how grueling his studies have become. This is what his days off _should_ be for. He needs to save them for quiet, contemplative things.

Not training or gyms or whatever it is Gladiolus does with his spare time. But Ignis is trying not to think about that. Gladiolus’ hulking, muscular, sweat-slicked chest has been haunting Ignis since puberty. It’s one thing to fantasize about being pinned under that beast of a man and quite another to picture actually spending a lazy Sunday with him.

Which is exactly why Ignis said _no_ when Gladiolus asked him out last night. It was incredibly difficult to do. The word stuck in his mouth, his heart and libido screaming in protest. But his mind stayed firm. He and Gladiolus would never actually work. They can get along well enough for Noctis’ sake, but at the end of the day, Gladiolus is a meathead, and Ignis... isn’t. Gladiolus would probably have him over once, fuck him ruthlessly against the wall, and then never call him back. Which would both break Ignis’ heart and make his work life a nightmare. So he tells himself, as his brain retraces the conversation again and again in his head, that he did the right thing. He needs someone more intelligent. Someone more in touch with their feelings. Not just a hunky beefcake. 

By the time he’s stepping through the well-lit lobby, his mind’s in shambles. He knows he can’t make it through his usual political intrigue dramas, so instead he settles for a thin gay romance from the fantasy section. He’ll probably be torturing himself with that, as he’ll inevitably picture one of the characters as Gladiolus in barely-there training garb, but he checks it out anyway. Then he wanders out into the courtyard for a peaceful read. 

He makes it past two massive planters, out onto the geometrically cut pavement littered with benches, and spots one in the far corner. His heart actually skips a beat. He thinks he must be seeing things.

Gladiolus is sitting under the branches of a small, ornamental hawthorn tree.

Ignis’ instinct is to turn and run. He can’t face Gladiolus so soon. But Ignis isn’t a coward, and he doesn’t give in to that. He tells himself that he’ll have to face Gladiolus sometime, and besides, he’s curious about the book in Gladiolus’ thick hands. 

He wanders closer, noting with surprise that Gladiolus is too wrapped up in book to even look up. He doesn’t do so until Ignis is right in front of him, casting a wavering shadow across his lap. Then his eyes go wide around the edges.

Sucking in a breath, Ignis forces out, “Hey.”

Gladiolus grunts, “Hey?”

“May I ask what you’re reading?”

Gladiolus hesitates. He shuts the book, giving Ignis his full attention, and answers, “Nothing interesting.”

Ignis has nothing to say to that. He opens his mouth but closes it again. Normally, he’s quite good at conversation. This isn’t normally. After a minute of watching him struggle, Gladiolus provides, “S’just flowers and stuff. I’m thinking of taking up gardening.”

Ignis repeats, dazed, “Gardening?”

Gladiolus shrugs. “Hey, I’ve always liked flowers, and we have a decent yard no one’s doing anything with, so... why not?” He lifts one massive arm to scratch the back of his head. Some of his dark hair is drawn back in a ponytail, a look that’s always been quite attractive on him. “Usually, I stick to historical fiction, but... I don’t know. That seemed a little... dense... for today.”

Ignis understands completely. He can feel his cheeks heating and feels compelled to say, “Sorry.”

Gladiolus shakes his head. “It’s fine. Really. I don’t want things to be awkward between us.” Ignis doesn’t either. But then, he doesn’t know what he wants. Gladiolus pats the stone bench beside him and asks, “You wanna sit down?”

Against his better judgment, Ignis does. He’s drawn to Gladiolus’ warmth and charm, like he always is. He finds himself asking, “Do you come here often?” Which sounds like such a bad pick-up line. But in this case, it’s a valid question.

Fortunately, Gladiolus doesn’t tease him about it, just answers honestly. “Not really. I usually prefer to buy my books. Haven’t you seen my collection?”

Ignis wracks his brain, but he’s sure he’s never been to Gladiolus’ house. He finds himself saying without thinking, “No. I’d assumed your room was more like a gym.”

Gladiolus snorts. “Sure, if you lined your gym with wall-to-wall bookshelves.”

Ignis stares at him for a moment, then weakly admits, “I feel like such an idiot.” Gladiolus lifts one dark brow. Ignis knows he owes Gladiolus an explanation, but it’s still hard for him to go on. “I only said no to you because I thought you were just a jock...”

Both brows lift. Gladiolus whistles. “Wow. Judgmental, much?”

Ignis knows. His entire face is probably scarlet. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, I...” Ignis stops to sigh and rub the bridge of his nose. He should’ve kept his mouth shut, but since he already started, he keeps going. “I’ve actually had a crush on you for quite some time, to be honest. But I always thought it would never work... it’s nothing against you, I just figured we were too different...”

“Why don’t we try it first before you decide that?”

A little startled, Ignis checks, “You’d still have me?”

Gladiolus reaches into Ignis’ lap and picks up the book there, glancing at the title before chuckling. “Trashy romance novels? Yeesh, maybe I don’t want to now...” Already hyper-embarrassed, Ignis momentarily panics, but Gladiolus laughs and promises, “Just kidding. I mean, yeah, kind of a dick move of you to assume there’s nothing more to me than muscles, and also kind of a dick move to reverse your opinion just because you find out I’m not illiterate... but I’ve also had a crush on you for as long as I can remember, so I’d love to take you out. Start with dinner tonight?”

A part of Ignis, the apparently pretty stupid part, had expected their first date to just be fucking on Gladiolus’ couch. Which now he wouldn’t have minded, because he’d like to see Gladiolus’ bookshelf. He nods and answers. “I’d like that. ...And I really do apologize.”

“If you know anything about gardening, you can make it up to me by telling me how to stop my orchids’ stems from going yellow.” 

Ignis’ heart is definitely beating faster. He starts, “Well, I’d have to see it to judge properly, but you may be under-watering it or not providing it with enough light...”


End file.
